Matters of the Arc
by anon1126
Summary: Tony Stark/OC/Pepper Potts story that moves through each movie featuring Iron Man with flashbacks, each revealing levels of this love triangle. Until, finally it reaches a finality in Infinity Wars. Italics for all flashbacks (the entire first couple chapters). Chp 4 up!
1. Chapter 1

" _Director Fury, you wanted to see me?" Erina Jackson asked as she entered his office at SHIELD._

" _Agent Jackson," he began, "I have a new assignment for you. Have you seen the news where Tony Stark told the world he's Iron Man?" he followed with._

 _Erina nodded, "Yes sir, does this have something to do with my new mark?"_

" _Let's not call this one a mark, because your task is to protect," he replied, "I want you to keep him safe under the guise of a new bodyguard," he paused and stood before making his next point, "Under no circumstances are you to show him your abilities, do you understand?" he phrased it as a question but, both he and Erina, knew it was an order._

 _She nodded, "Of course, sir. Have you established my cover for getting on the inside of his team?" she inquired._

 _Fury explained, further, "His publicist, Pepper Potts, is worried about him and she agreed. She said she'd handle this from the Stark perspective angle," he raised his brow unsure of how she'd accomplish that, "You are to report to Stark Industries tomorrow."_

" _Yes Director," she agreed before leaving his office and going home to pack for her new assignment._

* * *

 _Erina arrived Stark Industries early, the following day, and found a woman waiting for her. Erina presumed she must be Pepper Potts._

" _Agent Jackson?" the woman asked once Erina was through the door, which she nodded to, "Wonderful. Follow me, and I'll introduce you to Mr. Stark. He is not fond of this new addition to his detail, but I assured him you'd be attractive," she mouthed 'sorry' after as she continued their walk until they came upon a lab._

 _Erina saw Tony Stark testing out different pieces of the suit he'd invented, new prototypes of it, failing more often then she'd expect to see._

" _Tony," Pepper interrupted his work, moving cautiously in case a part came their way, "I have Erina Jackson, your new bodyguard here. Would you like to say hello? She'll be with you anytime you leave this building, along with in most areas within."_

 _Tony turned, a smug grin already on his lips, as he evaluated the girl standing next to Pepper Potts. He paused his work and moved toward them, visibly sizing up Erina. After a few moments, which were making Erina feel uncomfortable, he spoke, "Ms. Potts, why would you hire this woman to protect me? I can handle anything now that I'm Iron Man," he added, arrogantly._

 _Pepper began to defend Erina, but she held up her hand to speak for herself, "From what I can see here, you aren't Iron Man yet. I can handle anything that comes your way and I come with the highest recommendations," she paused to let her words sink in before continuing, "So, we can do this the easy way or the hard way, but whichever you choose, I'll be here."_

 _Tony shrugged, turning away from them as he replied, "I like your confidence so we can give this a shot. But for now, let Ms. Potts give you a tour of the facilities so that I may work in peace."_

 _Pepper interjected before Erina could reply, "Of course, sir." She, then, ushered her out of the lab and back to the main floor, where she finally spoke, "You had a small victory back there but it will take a lot more."_

 _Erina nodded, "Show me around and then I'll get to work on him," her own arrogance nearly matched Stark's, which both intrigued and worried Pepper._

* * *

 _Erina spent her first few days at Stark Industries following around different people and attempting to learn as much as she could about the day to day. As she began to feel familiar with the location, she decided it was time to speak to Stark once more, so she began her journey to his lab._

" _How's your work going?" Erina asked while also announcing her presence in his work area._

 _Tony stopped what he was working on, for a moment, and turned to face her, "I've made excellent improvements, actually. Is there anything you need? Or, are you just here to revel in my genius?" he added along with a cocky wink._

 _Erina held back from rolling her eyes as she responded, "I did not come to watch you work, sorry if that's disappointing for you," she continued, "But, I am here because I've familiarized myself with your facilities and now I'm ready to begin my work with you, which means I need your schedule," she added, though she already could tell he didn't always do things by any plan._

 _He laughed, "I don't always go to places in a scheduled manner, so you'll just have to hang around my side more often then not. Though, I can think of some great ways for us to pass the time," he hinted, his arrogance growing with each word._

 _Erina shook her head, "I am aware that you accepted me, partly, because Ms. Potts promised I'd be an attractive woman, but I assure you there is no scenario where we end up in bed together," she said, firmly._

 _Tony pushed out his lower lip in a pout, "That's a shame, but you're here so watch the magic happen," he shifted topics with ease as he began testing his robotics once again, while Erina watched from the side of the room._

" _What are you planning on doing with your superpowers?" she finally asked after watching him work for a spell._

 _He had just successfully gotten the entire suit to conform to him, so he lifted the helmet to reveal his face, "I haven't really thought of that yet, however I know that I want to stop those terrorists from using my weapons," he revealed, almost vulnerable for a moment._

 _She nodded, "That's a very noble cause, but what do you want to do after that? Save old ladies getting mugged in the city?" she kept the conversation at a distance, afraid he'd mistake any intimacy as hope._

" _I am sure there are bigger villains out there for Iron Man to conquer, but for now, if you'll excuse me," he began, "I'm going to take her for a spin." He looked away from her as he signaled the mask back onto his face and took off into the sky from the balcony._

 _Erina shook her head because she couldn't watch him while he was up there, and she couldn't look in her stores of mimicable powers to follow him, for fear of revealing herself. So, she watched him fly instead._


	2. Chapter 2

_Ms. Potts was away on business and Tony had just completed all his designs on his suit. "Jackson, will you at least have a drink with me to celebrate?" he asked, puppy dog eyes on display._

 _Erina had been growing closer to him through their long days together and her better judgements weren't as readily available. She nodded, "What's the harm in one drink?" she agreed as she moved to the bar where he had a drink already poured for her._

" _I knew you'd change your mind," he bolstered, "It's impossible to resist me forever."_

 _Erina shook her head, "Yes, because my greatest dream is to bed a playboy and be honored by the incredible cheapness I would feel the next day," she jabbed back, "No thank you, Mr. Stark. I've had enough men trouble in my life without adding you to the list."_

" _That's only because you haven't found the right man," he replied, placing his hand on top of hers while taking a sip of his drink, "Even playboys have to settle down at some point, why not with a strong woman like you?"_

" _Now, you're pulling out all the stops," she admonished him, "I won't lie and say that I don't find you attractive, or that I might have imagined what it would be like, but none of that matters because I work for you," she added with a professional tone, as she threw back her drink._

" _Your job is to protect me," he challenged while pouring them each another drink, "If we became involved, and I am talking about more then one night, then you would only want to keep me safe more," he reasoned, "Which would make you better at your job, plus there wouldn't be a single time we weren't together, if things were more intimate between us."_

" _When's the last time you were in a serious relationship?" Erina began, "And, did you know that woman for more then the few weeks you've known me?" she added, her interrogation necessary because the alcohol was beginning to mess with her judgement._

" _I can't recall," he replied, shooting his glass before pouring another, "And, the amount of time two people know each other shouldn't matter because in these few weeks, we've spent more time together then two people normally would, which adds to those weeks," he grinned,  
_ " _Technically speaking, another?" he asked, noticing her empty glass._

 _Erina nodded, handing him her glass, "Your points may be valid, but you've left out an important set of circumstances," she began as he passed her third drink to her, his eyebrow raised in curiosity. "If this thing you want to start doesn't work, then we have to work together, all the time, while there may be animosity on one or both our parts," she paused and continued, "Not to mention, if either of us started seeing someone else. Those happenings would cause quite a challenge, don't you think?"_

" _You're a professional," he countered, "I can tell. I have a hard time believing you'd put your personal feelings ahead of the job, and if you did, you'd resign," he looked at her, his eyes soft suddenly, "You're only looking at this with a glass half empty attitude, when it's possible we'd be amazing together," he laid out his rebuttal to her obstacles._

 _Erina shook her head, upset with his intelligence in this moment, "You're right, Mr. Stark," she ceeded, "But, if this is something you really want to pursue then we do it the right way," she saw him open his mouth to speak and placed her finger to his lips to silence him. "We don't sleep together tonight, but instead go on a date, a few, and then if the chemistry we sense now is still there, possibly stronger, we take it to the next level," she offered her conditions to his insane plan. She could only imagine what Fury would say to her if he knew what was going on with her assignment._

 _Tony thought over her proposal and then moved his glass in the air, "I'll drink to that," he said as they tapped their glasses together and drank them in their entirity once again, "So, can we have this first date now? It's not too late and I know you skipped dinner to keep an eye on me, who also skipped for my work," he stated, hoping for at least one victory with this challenging woman that night._

 _Erina shook her head, letting out a large laugh, "You are relentless sir, but also very correct. I will agree to food, as long as it's pizza."_

" _In LA?" he replied, his face showing disgust, "There is no place here that will offer a good slice."_

" _Then take your suit on a spin and get us the good stuff," she teased with an adorable grin._

 _Tony's mouth curled into a smile, "That, I can do. I'll be back in fifteen," he offered before disappearing into his workshop, only to return with Ray's pizza from NY._

* * *

" _Your suit is perfect," Erina complimented as she walked through his lab, comfortably, as she placed a small kiss on his cheek, "Are you going after the terrorists now?" she asked, a feeling of worry sinking in her gut._

 _Tony placed his hands on her cheeks, "Don't worry, Dear," he used pet names when he was lying, which she'd grown used to over the past month, "I'll be in and out in a matter of minutes and then we'll turn this company into an environmental organization of some sort and minimize our weapons production."_

" _You're not going to stop making them all at once?" she replied, "That doesn't seem like the message you were looking to convey."_

 _Tony shrugged, releasing her as he prepared to suit up, "We'll need money to change direction here and weapons bring that in, but we'll change our selling practices," he offered, as a truce._

 _Erina nodded, just as Pepper walked in, "Tony, you're just going to change the entire infrastructure of Stark Industries and not tell me anything? I have to find out from a press release that you had your bodyguard write," she looked to Erina, "No offense."_

" _None taken," Erina replied, "I was actually a PR major, english minor back in the day. Regardless, I told him it was inappropriate for me to do that and that you needed to be told in a much more professional way," she agreed with Pepper as she watched Tony signal his suit to cover him._

" _Pepper," he said, under the protection of Iron Man, "I really am sorry, but this is the direction we're moving in, and I'm about to go end the last of the illegal use of my weapons," he revealed, his eyes soft as he looked at her._

 _Erina noticed his reaction, but also hers as she went into a quiet panic mode almost immediately. She wasn't sure what it meant, but they had gotten her attention with their silent communication, though they'd worked closely together for years. She stood and made her presence known once again._

" _Ms. Potts," Erina calmed, "I assure you he's ready for this mission. We've triple checked everything and you know, I would never ok anything if I wasn't one hundred percent sure," she explained, gaining a small nod from Pepper as she turned and left the are._

 _Erina turned back to Tony, maneuvering herself close enough due to all his armor, to place her lips softly against his. When she pulled back, she stared into his eyes, her blues soft and easy to ready while his deep browns were almost always a mystery. "Be careful," she instructed, "If I have to come over there and save you, I'm not going to be happy. I don't do desert lands," she added with a small laugh, "curly hair is not well served over there."_

" _You know I will," he replied tenderly, placing his lips to hers just as she'd done, speaking again once he pulled back, "I still haven't seen you in action, anyway, and I'd hate to find out how tough you are personally," he added before he took off into the skies, doing just as he said and taking care of the terrorists, returning just as quickly to change the dynamics of his company._


	3. Chapter 3

" _It's amazing what you've accomplished in the last year," Erina said, taking a seat on Tony's lap, a proud smile on her lips._

 _Tony smiled back, his own pride smaller in comparison to his feelings for Erina, "Does this mean you'll be one of my Iron Man dancers at the Expo?" he asked, his lips curling into a more mischievous grin._

 _She shook her head, "There is no force in heaven or hell that would convince me to put on those tight costumes and dance, at least not in public," she added with a subtle wink._

 _Tony's eyes lit up at her comment, "Are you saying you would wear one for me?" his tone hopeful._

" _I might consider it," she replied, unsure as to whether this was a good idea or not, "As long as you're well behaved for the next week, and don't cause Pepper or myself to work overtime," she laid out her terms._

 _Tony grinned, "I can not promise that, but I will try my best," he began, "I'm so optimistic, in fact, that I will make sure not to return your Iron Man costume with the others after the event tomorrow night."_

" _I won't be backing out as long as you keep your end of the deal," she shifted the conversation, "Speaking of the Expo, I'm not so sure about your entrance plan…"_

 _Tony stopped her before she could get started, "You are worried because I'll be out of your line of sight while on the plane and then while I make my dramatic landing until I'm on the stage? No need, I've thought of a solution," he said before handing her a small ear bud which she took with a look of curiosity, "With that, we can communicate the entire time. And, I'll have Hap on the plane, so the free fall will be the only time I'm not being exclusively watched."_

 _Erina sighed deeply, "I suppose this will have to do," she put her earpiece into her bag on the table before moving back to him. "Now, are we going to spend the night preparing for the event, or did you have other plans for us?" she asked, her voice low._

" _You know me so well," he responded, running his hand up her back until it was on her neck pulling her closer to him, "Everything for tomorrow is perfect so you have me all to yourself," he smiled as he moved her lips to his._

* * *

 _As the Expo neared it's end, Erina moved toward the stage exit Tony would use, her earpiece still in because when he wasn't miced, he'd say sweet things to her. She waited for him, but felt sick the moment she saw him. Tony's face was drenched with sweat and he looked like he was having trouble regulating his breathing._

" _What's going on?" she asked, pulling him to her, to help move him out of there._

 _He gasped between words but instructed her, "Just get me to my lab."_

 _Erina nodded while moving him to her car and racing through the streets until they were back at his house, where he'd moved his most essential work because of government interference. She parked, got out and went to his side to help him out and down to his lab where she sat him down and made her way to get him a glass of water._

 _Once she was back by his side, she saw him pull out his reactor and replace something inside of it before placing it back, "What's happening to you?" Erina asked, handing him the water she'd gotten._

 _He took it gratefully and drank, before responding, "I didn't want you to find out, but the reactor is slowly poisoning me. It's worse each time I use my suit, but Jarvis and I are working on a way to fix it before it kills me," his voice was so calm while she felt her blood pressure begin to soar form his explanation._

 _Erina was in shock attempting to process what he was saying, "Why are you using the suit at all, if it's killing you?" was the only question she could fully form._

" _Because people are threatening to control it and if I'm not using it to prove they're wrong, then it will all get taken from me," he replied, vulnerability showing through his honesty, "I can't have that happen." He stood and rubbed his hand up and down her arm, "I promise that I'm going to figure this out before it's too late," he stated, his tone so soft that Erina knew he was just as worried as she was._

" _What about your company?" she questioned, "Certainly giving up some responsibility would lessen the impact this is having."_

 _Tony nodded, kissing her forehead, "I've already thought of that. I'm going to name Pepper my CEO and hire someone else to do my bidding while you continue to keep an eye on my fine ass," he said simply._

" _Pepper as your CEO?" Erina asked, her disbelief showing through more then she expected, "Does she have the qualifications for that role?"_

 _Tony raised a brow, "Why? Did you want the job?"_

 _Erina shook her head, immediately, "Not even a little, I'm just surprised by your choice."_

" _She's worked here, with me, for a long time. No one knows Stark Industries like she does. She's the only logical choice," he justified his decision, still surprised he needed to._

 _Erina nodded, "That sounds like a good reason. I'm sorry I doubted either of you," she quickly shifted the subject, pushing away her thoughts on Tony and Pepper having feelings for each other. "What's next on our agenda, though I know you don't like to plan ahead?"_

 _Tony grinned before he shared his idea, reaching for her hand and taking it in his, "We're going to France where I'll be racing in the Circuit de Monaco," he revealed, his face beaming while her gut was filled once again with worry._

" _That seems like a good idea?" she asked, in reply, before explaining herself, "I only mean that I want to make sure you know the risks of activities like this. I would never dream of restricting you, but I also need you to know that it makes my job harder."_

" _Then it's a good thing you'll be in the car with me to protect me to the best of you ability," he revealed, causing her to feel sick from the idea of being in a race car at those speeds._

 _She forced a smile, "When do we leave?" she asked instead of protesting her involvement, but her reaction was worth it as he leaned forward, a smile on his lips, before he placed them to hers, lifting her onto the table behind them._


	4. Chapter 4

_Around a week later, Erina was in France with Tony, along with Pepper and Hap. Tony was preparing for the race and executing a plan with Hap and Pepper if anything was to go wrong where he'd be able to attain his suit. Tony knew the level of possibilities that he could be attacked because he'd already named himself as Iron Man._

 _Erina found herself distracted from her nerves at racing in Tony's car by watching his interactions with Pepper. She saw each light up while the spoke to each other and the intense worry Pepper was feeling about him racing. Erina could relate but in this moment, she was more concerned that she was a fool. While she's been falling for, she needed to admit to herself, in love with Tony, it's possible that he might love her back but he also might love Pepper as well._

 _Erina's thoughts were interrupted by a helmet hitting her arms as Tony handed it to her, "Put this on. I don't want to take any chances you get hurt while we're out there." Erina nodded as she pulled the helmet on and then took her seat behind him in his car. She couldn't shake her feelings about Pepper as she watched them say goodbye as Tony got in the car._

 _He turned back and looked at Erina, "Are you excited?" he asked, his own face like that of a young boy on Christmas morning._

 _She feigned at nod, "All I can say is that I'm as ready as I'll ever be. How fast can you go in this?" she asked, immediately regretting it because she didn't really want to know._

 _His grin only grew as he replied, "Two hundred miles per hour. If you feel sick at all, I put a barf bag back there for you," he teased as he started the engine and moved to the starting point, waiting on the race._

 _Erina wanted to ask him about Pepper, and find a way out of the car, but she sat quiet and hoped it wouldn't be as bad as she was expecting. She didn't know if the pit in her stomach was from race nerves or her fears about Tony._

 _Before she could move deeper into her spiral, the flag was waved and the race began. Erina inhaled and held her breath as Tony pressed the gas and they moved forward at what Erina would always think hyperspeed felt like._

 _Tony turned on his comm with her as the reached the first turn, "How you doing back there, Babe?"_

 _Erina was comforted by his voice in her ears as she nodded, knowing he couldn't see her, "I'm doing better then I thought. This isn't as scary as I expected," she confessed, all of her worries moving away for the time, at least._

" _I would never put you in any real danger or try to frighten you," he reassured her as he made the next turn, harder then the one before._

 _Erina laughed, "I don't know about that second one, but I know you would never intentionally hurt me. How are you feeling? I saw your face and I won't lie, it's sexy seeing you so excited," she revealed._

 _Tony's lips curved into a devious grin in the front of the car, "Don't distract me with talk like that. I have to concentrate or I will end up hurting us both. That's not to say, I didn't love what you said," he replied, wishing he could have seen her face when she admitted to finding him sexy in a public place._

 _Erina shook her head, "Focus now and then later, we can do what I was imagining earlier," she teased in a husky voice, enjoying the sound of his breath catch through her ears._

 _Before either could continue their conversation, a man appeared on the track. "He's not supposed to be out here, is he?" Irina asked._

" _No," Tony answered, his voice just above a whisper as he slammed on the brakes so they wouldn't reach him because now, the stranger's lightning whips were in sight._

" _Tony," Erina asked, her voice less panicked then when she was getting in the car, "Are those lightning whips, he has?"_

 _Tony nodded, "I think so. Hold on tight," he warned as he spun the wheel to move them in the opposite direction._

 _Erina immediately went through the powers she could use in this scenario, since Tony was without his suit for now, to fight this man. She looked at him as she felt the car begin jerking to the right and noticed his armor was the support for his power. If she used super strength then she could break it._

 _Just as Erina began channeling her chosen power, the man slammed the edge of one of his whips onto the car's hood, sending them in the air, flipping until the finally rolled and landed upside down, what must have been twenty feet away._

 _Tony was immediately working on a plan in his head while he looked back to see Erina was still conscious, thankfully, "Are you alright?" he asked, trying to get out of his seat before the man reached them, and so he could help her as well._

 _Erina nodded as she used her newly found strength to rip off her constraints, looking at Tony as she got out of the car, helping him as she did so, "I'm sorry I've kept this from you," was all she uttered before she stepped away from Tony and began walking toward the stranger on the track._

" _Hey guy," she shouted, "What do you call yourself?"_

 _He grunted at her question, "My fight is not with you, girl. It is with him," he pointed at Tony by raising one of his whips and slamming it toward Tony._

 _Erina saw his move coming and was prepared as she reached out and caught it in her hand before it could reach him. She felt the electricity burn but she crushed it within her hand until it snapped and she'd shortened one of his weapons. She caught the shocked look on Tony's face as Hap pulled up with Pepper and his suit in a case._

" _You are stronger then I expected," the man replied to her defensive move, "I am Whiplash and as much as I'd enjoy laying you out on this track as well, you need to move out of my way," he threatened._

" _The only way I'm going anywhere is if you stop me," she replied indignantly as she continued her progress closer to him, "Is the lightning your only trick?" she egged him on, looking back to see Tony had his case and he was readying it to turn him into Iron Man._

 _Whiplash laughed, "These are quite enough to kill you precious little boy toy over there. What you have is a skill which I'd hate to waste by ending you," he bragged about his skills, not realizing that she was distracting him to get as close as she could in order to place a strong enough kick to drop him._

 _She smiled, "You're probably right, but I want to use my skills for good and not evil, so unfortunately for you, you'll have to kill me and waste them because I'd never work with anyone like you," Erina taunted him once more just as she was in close enough range._

 _He was about to reply when she spun, to maximize her attack, and jumped into the air, extending her leg until it came in contact with the left shoulder of his armor, sending him sliding back onto the ground. Iron Man entered as Whiplash fell to the ground and took the opportunity to pull out the man's homemade reactor._

 _Tony then looked at Erina, "You have a lot to explain when we get back to the hotel," he said as the police entered the scene to arrest Whiplash._

* * *

 _Tony walked into their hotel room before turning to Erina and waiting on her to begin her explanation, "I've known you for almost a year and I've been dating you for almost as long, but you never thought to tell me you're a superhero?" he asked, his tone showing his hurt._

 _Erina took a deep breath, "I know, I shouldn't have kept it from you. I had orders to keep my powers a secret, but today I didn't have a choice," she replied as she began rubbing the burn on her palm without thinking._

 _Tony noticed it and walked to her, pulling her hand to him by gently grasping her wrist, "We need to treat this," he said simply before he moved her toward the bathroom where he began first aid on her burn. "On whose orders were you to keep your secret from me? Does that same person know we're more then just acquaintances?"_

 _Erina shook her head for the second question, as she took a deep breath to explain, "I'm an Agent of SHIELD, which you know. I was placed in your organization as your bodyguard by my Director because you revealed your identity and because Pepper was so worried about you," mentioning her name stung more then the antiseptic Tony was applying to her tender, torn apart skin._

" _So, you were planted in my life?" he replied, "But, 'us' that wasn't part of the act, right? We are real?" the hurt in his voice tore her heart apart._

" _We are very real, Tony," she said as she reached up and placed her good hand to his face, "In fact, I would be reassigned if he ever found out. I love you, but there is something we need to talk about regarding us," she exhaled, her heart beginning to feel like it was being squeezed to lessen her ability to function._

" _What is it? Nothing could be more challenging for us then me finding out you have powers," he replied, "And, I'm ok with it. I was hurt you hid it, but you had a good reason and you and I aren't faked."_

" _Do you have feelings for Pepper?" Erina asked bluntly, "I've noticed things between you two and I don't want to be standing in the way of some epic love story that might be going on between you two. I've seen evidence from both of you, and if you want to take a break and see if that's real, I completely understand. Like I said when we met, I never expected to be the one to tie down the infamous, playboy Tony Stark," she kept it together as she spoke but she was fighting her instincts to shut her mouth or cry._

 _Tony looked at her, shock in his eyes, "You think I have feelings for Pepper, and she has them for me? We've known each other for so many years, it probably looks that way. She's a wonderful woman and I am concerned with her happiness, but not like what you're insinuating."_

" _Are you sure?" she asked in reply, "I think you should talk with her about it, just to make sure there isn't something better out there you're missing out on," she paused, "Trust me, I don't want to be saying these things. I want to tell you to just forget it and get in that giant bed with me, but it's been on my mind and I don't think I'll feel like I'm what you want until I know, if that makes any sense."_

 _Tony nodded, wrapping her wound in bandages, "I guess I can go speak with her, just to end this ridiculousness, but just know, no matter what happens, I love you too," he confessed, for the first time, as he leaned down to he and kissed her lips softly._

 _She smiled as his lips left hers, "I know you do and it's because I love you that you have to do this."_


	5. Chapter 5

" _Sorry to interrupt you two," Erina said as she walked in on Tony and Pepper sharing a kiss, "But, Agent Coulson is here and says he needs you and I, urgently."_

 _Erina caught a look from Pepper that she couldn't' place but she was distracted as Phil walked in behind her, a file in his hands for Tony._

" _Security breach," Tony stated glancing at Pepper, "That's your department."_

 _Coulson handed Pepper the file which she gave to Tony while Erina stood by awaiting her next move. Tony glanced her way before he began to look at the files._

" _The Avengers initiative?" he asked as he looked at the files of the different members around him, "I thought I was disqualified because I'm...what was it? Self centered, volatile and doesn't play well with others?" he added, looking back at Coulson._

" _The boss says this threat is beyond those factors and we need you," he stated before looking at Erina, "And her, which works since she is supposed to stay by your side."_

 _Pepper spoke next, "How dangerous is this threat, Phil? I don't want Tony going into anything that might cause him not to return," she stated, though the rest of the room knew that her wish didn't come with wearing the Iron Man suit._

 _Tony spoke, "I'll be fine because Jackson will be with me."_

 _Erina nodded, "Yes Ms. Potts, I will take good care of him as always."_

 _She stood in place, "I don't care. I don't want you to go," she confirmed what they all saw coming._

 _Tony shook his head, "Phil, I don't even like saying that. Agent Coulson, I'll review the information, but you may take Jackson with you," he allowed to give himself to convince Pepper it wasn't a big deal for him to go._

" _Sir, I will see you later," Erina stated, her glance toward him more longing then she wanted it to be before she followed Phil out the elevator they'd come in._

* * *

 _Erina got on the helicopter with Coulson and they rode to the helicarrier which would become mission headquarters. Coulson was curious, "Is Ms. Potts always like that about Mr. Stark being Iron Man?"_

 _She nodded in reply, "Unfortunately, she was against it before they were together but now, she really uses her girlfriend card to try and keep him out of it," she stated, "He'll come, though."_

" _How can you be so sure?" Coulson asked._

 _Erina shrugged, "I just do," she replied as they landed, "Are you going to introduce me to the team?"_

 _Coulson nodded as he got out before helping her and guided her inside where she met: Captain America, Bruce Banner, Hawkeye and caught up with Black Widow, or as Erina knew her, Nat. Fury laid out the plan and the problem which meant everyone was set to sit tight until they got a hit off the tesseract._

" _So, are you and Tony back together yet?" Nat asked, once the briefing was over and she could get Erina alone._

 _She shook her head, "He would be here with us already, if that was the case," she sighed, "He is still with Pepper, which is my fault completely, but that doesn't mean I have to like it."_

 _Nat nodded, "He'll come around. People like us have to stick together and she's not cut out for this life or to have a man in this world. It may take time but he'll be yours again," she comforted her friend._

" _Thank you for that," Erina replied, truly grateful, "I don't know if you're right, but I really hope you are. He'll be here eventually though."_

 _Their conversation was interrupted by Coulson, "We got a hit on the tesseract. It's time to go to work," he commanded, his enthusiasm beyond anything anyone else had ever exhibited._

 _Nat and Erina nodded as they stood and made their way to the jet, ready for their orders._

* * *

 _Nat flew the jet and brought them to the museum where Loki was and found him with a group of people on their knees. She looked back at Steve, "Your up Cap."_

 _He nodded, "Yes ma'am," before he parachuted onto the scene and began fighting Loki._

 _Erina watched, "It doesn't look good. I should go down and mimic his power against him," she suggested, ready to help and work off some of her aggression._

 _Before Nat could respond, AC DC's 'Shoot to Thrill' came through their speakers. Erina couldn't suppress a smile from creeping across her lips, "He's here."_

" _Agents, did you miss me?" his voice came through the comms, "I'll go take care of reindeer games."_

" _We're glad to have you, Stark," Nat replied as the two women watched him fly onto the scene and end it just as quickly._

 _They brought Loki back onto the jet moments later and began the journey back to the helicarrier. Erina didn't engage Tony, afraid of what she might say, but he went to her first, "Jackson, I'm sorry for what happened back there, at Star Tower," he began, placing his hand on her cheek causing her to shiver, "Pepper makes things in my line of work very difficult, but I wasn't going to pass up a chance to work side by side with you, with no distractions," he confessed._

 _Erina took a deep breath, "I made a mistake sending you to talk to her, but if you're with her then there can't be anything between us, other then friendship and professionalism. I'm so sorry, Tony. I love you, and I want to jump into your arms, but I have to respect what you have with her even if it's wrong for you," she laid out the boundaries while lying to herself about whether or not she'd give in if he pushed hard enough._

" _I respect that, E," he replied, using his favorite pet name he had for her, "But, just know that very soon, I will be available to you once more and we can pick up where things should be today."_

 _Erina wanted to reply but the jet's backdoor opened and Loki was grabbed out by another man, forcing the team to jump into action once again._


	6. Chapter 6

_Erina found herself alone in the helicarrier's lab until Tony walked in, a smile crossing his lips once he saw her. She couldn't suppress the one she let slip at the sight of him._

" _Fancy meeting you here, E," he began, moving toward her, "I was hoping we could resume our earlier conversation about us," he initiated softly causing her to back away just slightly, afraid she wasn't strong enough._

" _I told you what I needed to say," she replied, feigning a steady tone, "Don't put me to the test," she practically begged as he inched closer to her, almost closing the gap between them._

" _I respect your decision," he backed off at the sight of her tension from his presence, "Let's talk the case if that's easier," he changed the subject for her. "Do you think it's strange that Rock of Ages gave himself up so easily?"_

 _Erina shook her head, "I was thinking the same thing, though I doubt Steve would say he gave himself up easily. Do you think he has an agenda that required him to be with us?"_

" _That's the angle I'm currently rolling around," he replied, "The thing I can't figure out is what he'd gain from being trapped with us."_

 _She nodded, "I'm at the same place, but maybe if we think about it together, we can figure it out. What, on this ship, could cause the most destruction rendering us useless against him?" she asked, as Banner walked into the room._

" _You two were either talking about me or I've interrupted an intimate moment," Bruce said as he saw them stop speaking instantly._

" _Neither," Tony replied as he began instigating trouble with Bruce, in attempt to test his hold over the Hulk._

" _If I could be triggered by what you're doing then I wouldn't be on this mission," he replied to the different things Tony was doing._

 _Erina had a thought, "What kind of thing would really trigger him to come out?" she asked, causing Tony to pause his game, intrigued._

" _Good thinking, E," Tony agreed as more of the team entered the room, "How about it, Bruce? What brings the big green guy around?"_

" _Do you think that's smart?" Steve began._

 _Bruce stopped the potential pissing contest by answering, "Usually a physical attack of any sort would cause him to come out to ensure my survival, and his."_

 _Erina was a step ahead, "If that is the scenario then wouldn't Loki succeed by pitting us against each other?" Her question went unanswered as the team began bickering back and forth, missing her comment all together._

 _As the arguments escalated, an explosion burst through the back of the lab, throwing each team member to a different location across the area's remains while Banner and Nat fell below._

 _The blast sent Erina, Steve, and Tony to the door that lead to the corridor. She began to get up first and saw him, his face already bruising from the impact. "Tony, are you alright?" she asked, cupping his face in her hands._

 _He grinned as his eyes opened to the sight of her, "Shouldn't I be asking you that?"_

" _Shut up," she shook her head as she leaned down, closing the space between them and placing her lips to his, her affection consuming both of them as their mouths remembered each other. She finally pulled away, "Don't ask me what that meant because I don't know," she said, breathy from the kiss._

" _Sorry to interrupt," Steve began, "But, I think he needs to put on the suit."_

* * *

" _We know where he's going," Tony announced once the remaining members of the team gathered in the main area of the ship, though it was damaged too. Thanks to Steve and Tony, they were still in the air._

 _Fury nodded, "Where?"_

" _Stark Towers," Tony replied, glancing at Erina briefly, "It's the tallest building in the city and he needs that to be able to use the tesseract to call out to whoever it is he's working for," he explained._

" _Then we go there, and stop him," Erina jumped in, ready to head for the jett with Nat, Steve, and Clint. Banner had disappeared along with Thor and Loki when Loki made his escape._

 _Fury nodded, "It's the only option we have, so go ahead and get out there. Tony, will you be riding on the jet or flying yourself to the city?"_

 _Tony smirked, "I believe you know the answer to that question already," he turned to the rest of the Avengers, "I will see the rest of you in the city. Let's save my building...and the world, of course," he added after the expressions he received from his first motivation._

 _Nat began heading for the jet, followed by the rest but Erina was stopped by Tony's arm as he grasped her wrist gently._

" _What is it?" she asked, a smile creeping across her lips as she looked at him._

 _He leaned in, placing his cheek against hers as he whispered in her ear, "I'm glad to have you back," he confessed before pulling back and placing a gentle kiss to her lips._

" _Be safe," she ordered once his lips left hers. He gave her a wink before he disappeared to his suit to take to the skies while Erina made her way to the jet._

* * *

" _We're outnumbered, guys!" Erina said in her comms as she continued switching between different powers, stored in her banks, to fight off the aliens._

 _Nat agreed, "We have to close the hole! It's the only way to stop them from coming!"_

" _How are we supposed to do that?" Erina asked, slicing through another alien with a sword she'd grabbed off one of the other ones she'd killed._

 _Thor interjected, "I can use my hammer to summon a storm but it will only distract them and make the batlle more challenging, it won't close the portal."_

" _Whatever we do it has be done quickly because there's a bomb headed straight for the city," Steve mentioned, his tone defeated as all their efforts could go to waste._

" _Guys, I know what needs to be done," Tony stated, soaring above most of the group, "I have to fly up there with the nuke. It'll close the portal and save the city."_

 _Erina flipped her comm to speak to just Tony, "Are you sure about this? It sounds like a suicide mission," she commented, wanting to talk him out of it but knowing he was right._

" _I'll do my best to come back down," he stated, "Hey E…"_

" _I love you too," she finished his sentence before he shut off his comms and changed course to intercept the nuke._

 _Erina watched above, as much as she could, while she continued the battle below, fighting off more aliens then she'd been able to before due to the new fear and adrenaline within her blood. While she fought, Erina's eyes looked up to the hole peering into NYC and she saw Iron Man going straight for it. Her breath caught and her heart stopped as she watched him enter it._

 _Everything around her froze, or it felt like it did, while she stared into the sky waiting for him to fly back out, victorious. Instead, as the portal closed, Iron Man came spiraling out of it, free falling to the ground._

" _Hulk!" Erina screamed, "Catch him!"_

 _The Hulk began scaling buildings toward Tony's destination, until he was in reach and scooped him right from his fall before carrying him down to the ground, laying him there._

 _Erina was keeping a close eye on where the Hulk was going and met them there, the threat gone thanks to Tony. She knelt down by his side and pressed the side of his helmet to reveal his face._

" _Jarvis, vitals?" she commanded, because of her clearance she could also speak to the AI._

 _Jarvis replied, "I find none, Ms. Jackson."_

 _Erina inhaled and moved down closer to Tony, starting mouth to mouth on him while Jarvis worked within the suit to stimulate his heart. After a few tries, Tony began choking as he came around._

 _Erina stopped her efforts and exhaled, "Oh thank god," she said as she laid down on his chest, wrapping her arms around him._

" _I told you I'd come back, E," he said flippantly, as if he hadn't just been dead for a minute._

" _You didn't mention it would be such a dramatic return," she replied as she sat back up, offering her hand to help him sit up slowly with her, "I'm just happy you're ok," she said, her cheeks blushing from the affection for him, warming her heart and coursing through her blood._

" _Me too," he revealed as he began to lean toward her for an embrace, even though he was still in his suit, but he was stopped by Pepper's voice._

" _Tony!" she yelled as she came running, pushing Erina out of her way as she got down next to him hugging him tightly, "I was so worried about you!"_

 _Tony's eyes drifted to Erina's as he hugged Pepper back, less enthusiastically then he'd planned to hold Erina. 'I'm sorry,' he mouthed, 'We'll figure this out.'_

 _Erina shook her head as she stood to check on the rest of their team as the city began to come out of hiding to begin the cleanup._


	7. Chapter 7

_Time passed after the events in NYC and Erina was still by Tony's side but only as his bodyguard. She walked into his lab to find him continuing his tireless work to build an army of suits to protect the world._

" _How's your project going?" she asked, her concern evident in her voice._

 _He looked up, "I'm almost done and once I am, there won't even be a need for me to be Iron Man."_

" _Not be Iron Man?" she asked, in surprise, "Is that what you want, or is that what Pepper wants?" she asked. She'd accepted that he'd chosen her at this point._

 _He shook his head, "You already know the answer to that question. I am just doing my best to please everyone."_

" _Why'd you give you address out today when you found out about a credible threat against your life?" she asked, changing the subject, "As your bodyguard, I would have advised against that and now, I am on high alert."_

" _Just didn't want you to get bored," he teased, "Plus, an attack will give me a chance to test these out," he confessed._

 _Erina nodded, "Ok, well I'll be back to check on you in a bit." She left to patrol the property for the eighth time that morning._

 _She walked back down to the lab around an hour later, to find Tony asleep on the desk. Erina wasn't aware Pepper had followed her as Erina moved to his side, placing a hand on his back._

" _Tony, wake up," she whispered softly, "If you need to rest, you should do it in your bed," she soothed._

 _He woke and smiled as he saw her face, "Just a cat nap. I have to get back to work," he began to sit up just as Pepper made her presence known._

" _How come your suit attacked me when I woke you but it leaves her untouched?" Pepper asked, her voice irritated._

 _Tony shrugged, "I couldn't tell you, but I have work to do if you want me to stop wearing my suit," he countered._

" _I'm going to check the perimeter again," Erina interrupted to remove herself from the situation._

" _That is your job," Pepper jabbed, "And don't think your acceptance of him as Iron Man will somehow win him over to you, do you understand?"_

" _Of course, ma'am," Erina replied as she left the lab._

* * *

" _We're under attack!" Erina yelled as she raced into the living room where Pepper and Tony were arguing._

 _Tony immediately used his watch to put a suit on Pepper and get her out of the house, looking at Erina as they raced behind the couch to dodge the bullets spraying through the house's glass windows._

" _I told you all this glass was gaudy," Erina admonished him as they backed up against the sofa._

 _Tony smirked, "I'll take that into account for the redesign, if we survive this. We need to escape."_

 _Erina looked out at the attack coming from outside, "We need to get to the water. If we get out front, it'll put everyone out there in danger, and I guarantee this person has already taken out all of your vehicles."_

" _What are you thinking?" he asked, always fascinated watching her when she made plans and went through her process._

 _She reached for his hand, "We're going to race to the stairs and go down to the garage. From there, there is a secret opening where we can slide into the ocean and the attackers won't see us. Are you ready?" she asked._

 _Tony nodded as he followed her lead. Erina's plan went exactly as she planned and within moments they were in the ocean below the mansion._

" _What now?" Tony asked as they began treading water as he noticed it wouldn't be long until the house come down on top of their location._

 _Erina didn't respond immediately as she began looking around for their next step, "Can you get a suit? You can get out of here if the suit can keep you under water long enough to get out of their range and then fly to safety."_

" _What about you?" he asked, rolling his eyes, "I didn't ask what I do next, but what we do next," his tone was condescending._

" _I can channel the ability to hold my breath if you can hold on to me from inside your suit," she offered, her only option where she didn't stay behind and hope not to die by being crushed by his mansion._

 _He nodded, "I can make that happen," he summoned a suit and his tester attached itself to him. "This should be interesting," he mused as he pulled Erina into his arms._

 _She prepared the proper power and inhaled just as Tony took them under the water, speeding as fast and far away as possible before they shot from beneath the ocean's depths and took to the sky._

" _Jarvis, take us to safety," Tony ordered as he looked at Erina to see she'd passed out from the length of time they'd been underwater, but she was alive._


	8. Chapter 8

_Erina came to in the snow as she looked for Tony. He was next to her, neither of them dressed for this weather._

" _Where are we?" she asked as they helped each other stand up._

 _Tony looked at the remains of the suit that brought them there, "Jarvis?" he asked, looking for a sign of life._

" _Yes sir," Jarvis' voice came through weakly._

" _Do you know where we are?" Tony asked, looking at Erina as she began to shiver from the cold._

" _Tennessee, sir," he replied, "As you requested per your research on the Mandarin," he finished before the remaining circuits failed._

" _I guess we got what we needed," Tony said as he scooped up the pieces before turning to Erina, "We need to get inside before we freeze."_

" _I'm not arguing with you there," Erina replied as she followed him through the snow, attempting to find a power in her memories that would allow her to warm up but she hadn't encountered anyone with that ability._

 _They walked for, maybe a mile and a half, when Tony saw a small building in the distance, "Think whoever owns that will mind if we crash?" he asked, wrapping his arm around her, "You doing alright, E?"_

" _I'll make it," she stated, her teeth chattering to obscure her speech, "But, I think I'd rather risk being found then freezing out here."_

 _Tony nodded, "Then we go in," he agreed before leading her to the structures door and found it was unlocked. He ushered her inside and immediately turned on a heater in the corner and began finding things to wrap around Erina to warm her._

 _Erina welcomed the warmth before she looked at him, noticing he was still shivering, "Come here," she offered, opening her wealth of blankets to him._

 _Tony didn't hesitate as he sat down on the couch with her, wrapped in her arms as they regained the feeling in their bodies, lost in the cold. "This is nice, E," he commented as his head laid on her chest._

" _I know," Erina agreed, unwilling to say more because she'd been burned before by letting him back in and she wasn't ready to do it again. "Maybe we should try to sleep," she suggested, changing the subject from them._

 _Tony sat up and looked at her, "Are you changing the subject or do you really want to sleep?" he asked, looking intently into her eyes._

 _She shook her head, "Both."_

" _I want to be with you again, E," he confessed, placing his hands on her face, moving closer to her, "Don't you want that too?"_

" _Of course I do," she stated, "But, I can't keep doing this since we were almost back together when we went to NY and it ended before it even got a chance. It's better if we just keep the love part of our lives out of it," she added, her eyes deceiving her though as they stared back at Tony's, filled with affection._

 _Tony nodded, "I get where you're coming from but haven't you noticed that Pepper and I don't get along at all? Don't get me wrong, I love her and I wish she and I could make it work, but her picture of us doesn't include the real me," he revealed, "You love me exactly as I am. No woman on this Earth can compete with what you and I have," he finished tenderly._

 _Erina closed her eyes for a moment, "Let's just figure out how to get out of here and who just tried to kill you. Then, we can evaluate where 'we' stand. Can you agree to that?" she asked, her tone honest._

 _Tony smiled, "Yes, I can. Let's try to sleep as you said before," he said before laying his head back against her as the two fell asleep in someone's property with no knowledge of what was really going on around them._

* * *

 _Erina and Tony were woken up by the sound of the door opening a few hours later, or at least that's what it felt like. Tony stood, protectively in front of her, as the person was revealed and they saw a young boy._

 _Erina let out a sigh of relief as the boy asked, "Who are you?"_

 _Tony moved aside to reveal both Irina and his suit causing the boy's jaw to drop, "Your Iron Man! That means your also dead," he said, handing Tony a paper with a cover article stating that he was, in fact, presumed dead._

" _This is actually good," he replied, surprising both Erina and the boy, "If the world thinks I'm dead then we have time to figure this out before, whoever wants me dead, makes another run for me."_

 _Erina stood, "That's actually a really good idea," she turned to the boy, "What's your name?" she asked after introducing herself._

" _My name is Harley Keener," he replied._

" _Do you think, if we stayed here to repair his suit, we'd be able to go unnoticed?" Erina asked, hoping this boy didn't have a father with a quick temper._

 _Harley agreed, "Yeah, I'm the only one who ever comes out here when my Dad's not here. He's gone for the month," he added, "You can fix the suit, on one condition."_

" _What's that, kid?" Tony jumped in, his tone not soft or patient._

 _Erina was about to reprimand him that this was a child, but Harley spoke first, "I want to help. I fix things around here and I've read a lot about your designs."_

 _Tony thought it over, looking at Erina for her thoughts which she gave a nod to, "Ok, deal. I have a second favor to ask you, if you think you can handle it?"_

" _What is it?" Harley asked, Erina ready to mirror his question._

 _Tony grinned, "I just want you to listen out around town for anyone mentioning my name or looking for me. I need to be ready."_

 _Harley nodded, "I can do that too. Are you guys hungry?" he asked to which both Tony and Erina shook their heads as yeses causing Harley to disappear._

 _Once they were alone, briefly anyway, Erina looked at Tony, "How are you going to figure out who is behind this?"_

" _Well, I think the best way to begin is to look into why I marked this place as somewhere to investigate. There were a series of bombings which seemed like the work of the Mandarin, but I'm beginning to think there is no Mandarin and all of this is a cover up for something else," he began, "And I believe Aldrich Killian is the true face behind everything."_

" _That is a lot, and I don't even know where to begin but I'm ready to do whatever you think we should do," she replied, offering her full support though she knew that he already knew he had it. "Do you think Harley knows anything about the bombings? That may be just the place to start."_

 _Tony nodded, "You are correct. This is either going to fizzle out or become extremely dangerous and my gut is going with the second one because I've already had an attempt to kill me."_

" _You know I'd never let that happen," Erina stated, "Whatever we end up facing, you will survive it," she promised, "Mostly because, once we are in a moment of peace, I will be able to decide if I want to risk being with you again," she added with a small smile._

* * *

 _Erina sat down on the pavement of the shipyard where she, Tony, the Iron Legion, and Rhodey had fought off Killian, exhausted from the battle. Tony sat down next to her, once his suit was off._

" _So, we won," he began the conversation, "That means things are quiet, for now. Are you going to give me another chance to prove that 'we' are the real deal?" he asked, no joking manner in his voice, as he laid his hand on hers._

 _Erina took a deep breath, "Please don't hurt me this time," she answered, showing her vulnerability and fear of what would happen._

 _Tony smiled as he leaned in and placed his lips to hers. She reacted to the kiss as if she had been kissing him for her entire life. As he pulled away, "I will do everything in my power not to hurt you, do you understand?" he asked, vulnerability now in his voice._

 _Before Erina could say another word, Tony's phone rang showing Pepper's face. "Guess it's time for her to know what's going on," he said as he slid the screen to answer, "Hey Pepper," he said._

 _She didn't hesitate to begin berating him for what he'd put her through in the last week. Finally, she said something that could prompt Tony to respond. "Tony, I'm done. It's the suit or me," she stated her ultimatum, silence taking over as she waited for his reply._

" _I choose the suit," he said, simply, "I'm sorry, Pepper."_

" _Does this have something to do with Erina?" she asked, following his answer._

 _Tony shook his head, "No, surprisingly no. You made my life much easier by offering a choice. I assume you'll be reporting to me regarding business matters only, from here on out?"_

" _Yes, Mr. Stark," she said, coldly while ending the call._

" _That was frigid," Erina commented, "I'd be shocked if you two fixed things after that, but crazier things have happened. I'm just glad you're mine again. I'll never forgive myself for letting you go."_

 _Tony pulled her in tight, "You won't regret it anymore, E."_


	9. Chapter 9

" _Tony, are you close enough to get in?" Erina asked as she and the rest of the Avengers stormed their most recent tip for the location of Loki's scepter._

" _Sweetheart, if I was don't you think I'd share?" he teased, "I'm sending in the Iron Legion first to penetrate the barrier. How are things on the ground?"_

" _Peachy," she replied as she dropped to the ground to avoid a motorcycle leaping from a small lift for her. Once it cleared her, she stood and used telekinesis to control the driver, causing him to crash into a tree._

 _She continued fighting until she heard Tony's voice again, "Guys, I'm in. The barrier is down and the bad guys are evacuating so head in."_

" _Yes sir," Nat replied sarcastically as she made her way to calm the Hulk._

 _Erina followed Cap and Thor into the structure. As they entered, they found two people dressed in civilian clothes._

" _Are you two alright?" Cap asked, always looking for the best in people._

 _The girl spoke, a red mist coming from her lips, "Of course, why wouldn't we be?" she asked as the boy disappeared at super speed._

 _Thor spoke to warn the group as the girl disappeared as well, "Be warned, there are two people with powers here and they appear to be non-friendly."_

 _Erina was about to speak when the view around her faded and she was standing in a church, filled with people. She looked forward at the altar and saw Tony and Pepper, in a wedding dress, about to get married. She knew, deep down, this wasn't real and the girl had done this to her, showing her worst fears, but she couldn't stop the shaking from taking over her hands or the tears threatening to pour from her eyes. "No," she said softly, closing her eyes, hoping this would end before she lost control._

 _Finally, her vision cleared just as Tony walked out of the main room, carrying the scepter, looking just as shaken as Erina imagined she looked. He saw her eyes and was immediately filled with concern, "Are you alright?" he asked._

 _She didn't want to admit what she'd seen, so she answered vaguely, "Yea, I'm fine now. That girl just messed with my mind, but I'm over it already," she lied, "Did she get you too?"_

 _Tony nodded, "You were all dead and I couldn't do anything," he confessed._

 _Erina wrapped her arms around his waist, comforting both of them, "Let's get out of this place. We can ask Hill to find out who those two are. But, I don't want to be in this place any longer."_

" _Agreed," he nodded, "Plus, we have a party to prepare for," he said, shaking off the feeling the vision had caused him and placing a kiss on the top of her head before he grabbed her hand to leave the building that they both faced their worst fears in._

* * *

 _Erina left the group once they were back at Stark Tower to get ready and also gain composure, real not just the facade she'd been putting on. She entered her room and got in the shower, calming her nerves. She did a few shots and then put on a patterned champagne dress with black lace overlay, knee length with a flowy bottom._

 _Erina joined the party and Tony saw her, instantly, moving to her to join her side. "You look amazing," he complimented, wrapping his arm around her waist, "Would you like to get a drink?"_

 _She nodded, "You look pretty good, yourself," she added._

 _They went to the bar and ordered drinks from Nat, who was tending bar because she didn't love party mingling. "So, you two are finally a thing again?" she asked, passing Erina's drink across the bar._

" _We're more then a thing," Tony replied, "This is a very serious relationship like it should have been years ago," he added, showing how he always loved her regardless of Pepper._

 _Erina smiled, "Thanks Nat," she said sarcastically, "But, yes we are in a pretty serious place, for now," giving away her own insecurities about them, especially after earlier that day._

 _Tony shook his head but Nat spoke. "Stop, girl," she began, "I've seen the way this man looks at you since day one, and he is in real love with you. Once you accept that, you'll be able to let go of those fears," she advised._

 _Erina nodded as Tony moved her to a dark corner of the room, into a booth, "Let's enjoy some time alone, as much as we can be, while we can." he stated, clearly still shaken by what he'd seen earlier._

" _What you saw isn't going to happen," she reassured him, "That was just a trick she used to weaken us. It did come from our own minds but it was, just that, our fears, not a vision of the future."_

 _Tony nodded, "What did you see?" he asked._

 _Erina shook her head, "I can't talk about it because it will only cause my faith in us to lessen."_

 _He moved forward, placing his hand on her thigh, "E, you can tell me. I want to know what that witch used to throw you off your game because I have never seen you shaken in a fight before today."_

 _She took a deep breath, "Fine, she showed me you marrying Pepper. I knew, in my heart, it wasn't real but that didn't stop me from shaking. My worst fear is losing you to her, again, and it effects me so deeply because I did it to myself."_

" _You always put others before yourself, even when you shouldn't. Be more like me," he replied, "You may have less friends, but you won't get your heart broken as often or easily." He changed the subject, slightly as he leaned in closer and placed kisses along her neck and up to her jawline, "I love you and I know you still don't see that like you once did, but just know that I would only go back if you were dead."_

" _That was morbid," Erina laughed from his assault and comment, "I think you have to admit you might also go back if she needed you for something. Hap told me you bought her a ring shortly after you started dating," she confessed to what she knew and how much more it added to her fears._

" _That was for a press event as a backup plan if things went wrong," he explained, "Now, will you let me show you how much I love you, or do you still want to talk about Pepper? Because, as far as I can tell, she's not the one I'm adorning with affection," he finished, ending with a wink before he took her mouth with his own._

 _Erina kissed back, leaning back into the booth until they were interrupted by the presence of Ultron, Tony's accident._


	10. Chapter 10

_After Tony's creation turned on the Avengers and nearly caused the end to a country, he moved their HQ upstate but came in and out. Erina was with him, all the time._

" _Are you really going to propose this to us?" she asked as he drove them to the new building, referring to the Secretary of Defense's impending visit to follow their arrival. "I know things went badly during Cap's last mission and Ultron was a negative, but should we really be told when we can or can't save people in need?" she followed up her question with an even bigger one, causing Tony to sigh._

" _E, I want the Avengers to stay together and this is the only way," he explained, pulling into the driveway. "If we don't sign this document then we are effectively retired and liable for jail time if we use our skills."_

" _I just don't see how the government can control us," she replied, still baffled, "I will support you and sign this because I still want to save people, but I don't fully agree with it."_

" _Neither do I," he agreed as he began rubbing the back of his neck, his eyes closing briefly._

" _Another headache?" she asked, leaning closer so she could massage the top of his shoulders nearest to his neck, to relieve some of the pain._

 _He relaxed into her touch as he nodded, "Yep, my suit is giving me electromagnetic headaches. I'm working on a fix but right now, I'd prefer not to put in on," he admitted._

" _Because of the headaches only, or are you ready to say goodbye to Iron Man?" she asked, concerned._

 _Tony leaned forward, pulling away from her touch, looking into her eyes, "No, E. I am very far away from wanting to end my time as Iron Man. My only reservations for putting on the suit is the pain it causes right now," he leaned toward her and placed his lips to hers. When he pulled back, he asked, "Are you ready to go in there and fight with our friends?"_

" _Maybe it won't be a fight," she asked, hopefully, "But, yes I am ready."_

 _Tony led Erina into the facility and straight to their conference room next to the kitchen, where the team was waiting. "What's going on, Tony?" Steve asked, his confusion apparent on his face._

" _Let's just wait for the secretary to arrive," he replied, taking a seat in the back corner, not at the table with everyone else. Erina took a seat between Steve and Nat where she stayed silent, not wanting to upset Tony by adding anything to the table._

 _Nat knew why she was silent and didn't ask her anything. The Secretary of Defense arrived and laid out the document, the Sokovian Accords, and explained why it was necessary by showing clips of the all the destruction caused by the Avengers trying to save the world. Once he left, the group moved to the kitchen sitting area and began the discussion. Erina frowned when she saw Tony lay back on the chaise lounge with his eyes closed, her heart hurting to see him in pain._

 _Rhodey began the conversation, "This is necessary. The people making this decision are qualified and we should do it."_

 _Sam replied, "They want to put us on a leash and have the say on who we save and when. I'm sorry but that doesn't sound necessary or like a good idea to me."_

" _The Secretary has a medal of honor, which is one more then you have, but you just say 'it's all good, we've got this,'" Rhodey replied._

 _Vision interjected, "I believe the Secretary to be correct, also. Based on an equation between the events and our existence has a significant rise over time. In the last eight years, since Mr. Stark announced he was Iron Man, the threats we've faced or have come to our world has increased at a rapid rate."_

 _Tony sat up, his expression showing the pain he was in which made Erina want to go to him, but she stayed put. "We need to be put in check. People, innocent people, lose their lives when we're out there playing superheros. How can we do that? How can we cause people's lives to end and sleep at night?"_

 _Steve shook his head, "Erina, you're with him, right?"_

 _Erina nodded, "Not because of he and I, but because I would rather be able to fight the bad guys side by side with you then be retired long before my time," she explained her stance._

" _This document causes us to lose our choice and allows people with agendas, like Hydra, to decide who we save and who we don't. If we have no say, then we are just soldiers following blindly and I've done that. I won't do it again," Steve stated, his opinion on the matter, firm._

 _Tony nodded while he was running water in the sink to take a pill with, "Who's putting coffee grounds in the garbage disposal? Am I renting a bed and breakfast to a biker gang?" he exclaimed, frustrated. He then replied to Steve, "I want to do this because if we choose to sign then we still have control. But if we wait until someone just throws us into some force, then we have our hands tied."_

" _He's right, Steve," Nat agreed, "At least this way, we'll be together and we'll have one hand on the wheel."_

" _Did you agree with me?" Tony asked, his face shocked while Nat rolled her eyes. "There's no decision making process here, guys. We either sign and get behind this or we retire. You have until Friday," he added as he left the room to lay in the dark. Erina stayed with the team, giving him a chance to breathe._

* * *

" _We're in Berlin and we can't go see anything because we have to arrest our friends," Erina whined as she sat in the conference room below the base where Bucky, Steve and Same would be brought, along with King T'challa._

 _Tony frowned, "We have important business to take care of. Maybe someday we'll get to travel the world for fun. For now, we will have to arrest the people we care about and try to undo this mess."_

 _The 'prisoners' arrived moments later and Tony pulled Steve in for a private meeting which Erina knew was his last ditch effort to try and convince Cap to sign the accords and end this. She made her way out of the room and found Nat._

" _Is the psychiatrist here to talk to Barnes yet?" she asked, getting Nat's attention._

 _Nat nodded, "Yes, I think he's about to start his questioning," she looked back at the room where Steve and Tony were talking, "Is he still trying to get Steve to sign?"_

 _Erina nodded, "Yes and to no avail. Tony and Steve have different perspectives on this issue because they come from different times, though you'd never notice looking at them. I hate all of this because it's tearing this team apart," she admitted, also looking back at them._

 _Natalie agreed as their attention was drawn away from their conversation to the evaluation going on, on the screen above. As the man questioned Barnes, the power to the building went out._

 _Erina watched Steve and Sam race to Bucky's location as she made her way back into the room where Tony was leaning down on the table, "Could this all go anymore wrong?" he asked. His question was answered by gunfire as Barnes had been 'triggered' and was making his escape._

" _Did you bring a suit?" Erina asked, concerned by the state he was in from his suit and all that was going on within the Avengers, "If you don't, then you should sit this out."_

 _Tony shook his head, "I don't, just the three piece on my body. Let's go take care of this," he stated, his voice displaying the extreme exhaustion he felt._

 _Erina didn't argue the matter further as she followed him out to the main level where the noises were coming from. They peeked around a column and saw Bucky taking down everyone and everything in sight. T'challa had become the Black Panther to join the fight, but he was no match for Bucky._

 _Erina was about to tell Tony to let her go out first, but he was already out there, using a device from his watch to stun Barnes but the effects lasted mere seconds before he was back in his element, slamming Tony onto a table._

 _Erina inhaled sharply at the sight of Tony in trouble and channeled super strength before she made her way into the same battle. She attacked from behind, gaining the element of surprise but, like Tony, it only lasted a moment before Bucky threw her over his shoulders and slammed her against the floor, his hand firmly around her neck._

 _Erina gasped for breath as she tried anyway to fight him off, but luckily Steve appeared and took the fight outside, allowing her to cough and choke once her neck was free as she gathered her breathing, regaining control._

 _Tony recovered first and was at her side, almost immediately, "Did he hurt you?"_

 _Erina shook her head, "I'll be ok, what about you? He threw you down hard and you have no protection on," she commented, beginning to feel around his body with her hands for injuries._

" _Sh E," he soothed, no pain Barnes caused could be worse then what he was experiencing, "We're both ok, and that's what matters now. But now, they escaped and we are going to have to fight our friends in a very real way. Let's get cleaned up and call in everyone we can," he strategized as he stood and offered her his hand to help her up._

 _She sighed as she took his hand and stood with him, her heat aching from his pain and the pain of everyone around her, sometimes her mimicking skills took off more from others then she'd like. They went back down where they'd been before the attack to work out a plan, joined quickly by Nat._


	11. Chapter 11

_Tony left to recruit help for their upcoming battle and Erina awaited the call for the location where they'd find Cap and his team._

 _Her cell rang, "Jackson," she answered because the number was unlisted._

" _E," he began, revealing himself as Tony, "They are going to the airport to escape. Meet me there in half an hour. Ensure everyone is suited up," he advised, his tone hurried because of the circumstances._

" _Of course," she replied, "I'll see you there," she added about to end the call._

 _He stopped her when he said, "E…"_

 _She smiled at the sound of his voice saying just that one letter of her name, "Yes, Tony?"_

 _Tony smiled against the phone, evident in his voice, "I love you."_

" _I love you too," she answered before they ended the call and she gathered their team and made their way to the airport to cut off, Team Cap, that's what they were calling the group, anyway._

 _Erina put on her suit and took Rhodey, T'Challa, and Nat to the airport where they walked in on Tony and Cap in a faceoff. Erina's heart shattered when she saw the giant bruise around Tony's eye from his fight with Barnes._

" _We're here, Tony," she announced them as he brought in his addition to the team, Spiderman._

" _Thank you, E. I'm glad to have you by my side as always," Tony replied before moving back to engage in his confrontation with Steve._

 _Erina and the others prepared to fight as the rest of Cap's team walked up: Sam, Bucky, Wanda, Clint, and a man she'd never seen before because she knew the talking wouldn't end in a truce._

 _Steve ended the speaking part of their standoff as Tony called for Spiderman, "Underoos!"_

 _The boy swung in and used web to tie Cap's hands together while taking his shield. Cap shook his head, "We are going to have to punch our way out of this and I'm sorry."_

 _Erina looked at Tony, "Be careful," she instructed as he disappeared to grab Clint and Wanda while she chose the appropriate power for the fight ahead as Barnes came straight for her._

" _You won't best me again," she stated as he moved toward her, his arm intimidating because she knew the effect it had._

 _Barnes shook his head, "I don't want to do this, but here we are," he quickened his pace causing Erina to take on a defensive stance, finally choosing the ability to manipulate metals._

 _She let him get close enough before she raised her hand and used her power to take control of it, causing him to be thrown to the ground by the force. She watched the surprise in his eyes at what she was able to do, "Why didn't you use that before? When I wasn't me," he asked, astonished, she'd pass up the chance._

 _She shrugged her shoulders, "I hadn't faced you before and I chose the wrong power to rely on. It won't happen again," she replied as she twisted his arm, leaving him unable to get up or fight back. She had the upper hand until she lost focus because of something flying around her ear. Once her power dropped off, Barnes was able to get up and pin her against the helicopter behind her, before rearing back to punch her with his normal hand, "This isn't personal," he offered before slamming his fist into her face and dropping her to the ground, nearly unconscious._

 _She stood back up, just in time to see a parking deck full of cars falling on top of Tony, but she couldn't go to him because she saw Barnes and Steve running toward her jet, and she raced after them._

 _Wanda beat her there and used her powers to stop Erina in her tracks. Erina closed her eyes and working on channeling Wanda's power herself. As she got it under control and began to fight back, Vision appeared and stopped both of them in their tracks, allowing Steve and Barnes to get away._

 _Tony made his way to Erina and saw the bruise on her face as he found her crippled by Vision's attack, "Vision, you weren't supposed to hurt the ones on our team," he admonished before he began to help Erina up from the ground, wrapping his arm around her waist to help her._

 _Vision shook his head, Wanda in his arms, "That is a risk she must think over when she mimics other's abilities."_

 _Tony shook his head before they made their way out of the airport to form a new plan. "You shouldn't be helping me," Erina protested, "I know your hurt just as badly."_

" _I might be, but you're my priority right now," he stated, leaning his head toward hers and placing a kiss on her temple._

* * *

 _Erina found herself sitting at Tony's desk in the upstate location, waiting for him to return from his mission to help Steve. She wanted to go with him, but he benched her because of her injuries even though his were equally as bad._

 _She looked up at the sound of footsteps and saw Tony walking in, his face bruised and his arm in a sling. She jumped up from her seat and raced to him, careful with how she held on to him in her embrace, "How'd it go?"she asked against his chest._

" _Not like I wanted," he replied as she let him go and helped him to his chair, even through his protests. "Barnes killed my parents. I went there to help and instead things are worse then when they began. I lost it, and I know it wasn't really Barnes when it happened, but that doesn't matter," he explained, his tone melancholic._

" _Your parents were killed by the Winter Soldier and not in a car accident?" she asked, her shock visible as she thought over how he must have felt to learn that the man Steve was willing to die to protect had taken his parent's lives._

 _Tony nodded, "The Avengers are broken and like Ultron, an effort I made to help keep the world safe backfired. I even got a teenage kid hurt in my fight," he expressed his sorrow at everything that had taken place since he proposed the accords._

" _You did what you thought was right which is exactly what Steve was doing. Yes, it all ended badly, but the Avengers will come together again if the world needs them. I know that deep down," she stated, running her hand through his hair, "I think you know it too."_

 _Tony nodded, "You're right," he said as he handed her a note and an old flip phone, "Steve said he'd come if we called. I just hope that never happens because I don't know how to look him in the eye after the way we fought," he admitted._

 _Erina shook her head, "You do like all friends and you start over, and put it behind you. I'll always be here for you, no matter or what we face next because that's what love and family is about."_

 _Tony pulled her close, pulling her lips to his, showing his gratitude through the passion that he felt for her, thankful that she was in his life to anchor him when everything else was going to hell._


	12. Chapter 12

_Erina walked into Stark Tower, still shocked to see it so empty since Tony was moving them to the upstate location. She found him talking to Hap about Peter and a mess he'd caused being the 'friendly neighborhood Spiderman'. She listened in on their conversation for a few moments until Hap left and she was able to speak with him._

" _Tony, why don't you give the kid more credit? He did great fighting against half of the Avengers," she commented as they began to walk and talk while Tony decided what else needed to go upstate and what was donation or trash._

 _Tony shook his head, "He's just a kid, E. I want you to be right and let him join the big leagues, fight the good fight, but I'm afraid he'll get himself killed," he paused before adding his true fear for Peter's future, "I want him to be better then I am and was in my early stages. I don't want him to play the girl of his dreams like a yo yo, or tell the bad guys his home address and invite them to come get him."_

" _Babe, he isn't arrogant like you are, and I mean that in the best way possible," she replied, "He has powers, and you've given him a suit that protects him in the big fights. If you would spend more time showing him how to be the hero you believe he can be, and less time lashing out at his behavior, he could be great. I'm not saying this on his behalf, but on yours. You could be an amazing mentor, if you'd let yourself," she explained, interlocking her fingers with his as she felt him grab for her hand._

" _Why are you always right?" he asked, his tone playfully annoyed, "Ok, once we finish moving everything to the new place, I will invite him up there and begin working with him," he added, "I think you should as well."_

 _Erina smiled as she laid her head against his shoulder while they walked, "What makes you want that? Is it just so we can spend even more time together? Because, I will not fight you on that reasoning ever."_

 _Tony laughed as he answered her, "More time with you is always a benefit to any plan I make, but I was actually thinking you could mimic his skill and use them against him. He would really know how to channel his power and use them to their best if he knew what weaknesses they contain," he confessed to his true motivation behind inviting her to train Peter along with him._

" _Well, that is a very good reason and so well thought out, some might say you are a genius," she teased in return, "I like Peter, he's a good kid. I'd be happy to help him hone his skills in any way possible." she removed her head from his shoulder and placed her lips to his ear, whispering, "I think there are some other things we should do together as a way of saying goodbye to this place."_

 _Tony's lips curled into a grin at her proposal as he nodded, "Looks like I'm not the only one with good ideas around her," he directed her to a more private area of Stark Tower._

* * *

" _What?" Tony said as he took a call from Hap, "He what? Of course, I'll be right there," he hung up with a long sigh._

" _Tony, what's going on?" Erina asked, confused by his reaction._

" _The boy you trust so much tried to take down a mass weapons producer on his own after Hap had the FBI there to handle it," he began, "Now, the ferry is split in two, so I need to go save him."_

" _I'm coming too," she insisted as he suited up. He reached for her hand and flew them to the boat._

 _Tony let her down on the ship before he began fusing the boat back together with his newly created tech. While he worked, Erina left her place to search for Peter and found him watching Iron Man fix his mistake._

" _Spiderman," she said to get his attention. He heard her and made his way to her._

" _Is Mr. Stark mad at me? Can I help in some way?" he asked, his voice soft and apologetic._

 _She shook her head, "Just stay out of his way for the moment. He needs to fix one thing at a time, and if you run out there after him he'll get more upset."_

 _Peter nodded as they waited on Tony to finish the repairs until he finally appeared next to them._

" _Ready to go, E?" he asked, holding out his hand to her._

 _She grabbed it and looked at Peter, "I'll do my best with him for you," she stated as Tony wrapped an arm around her waist, taking her to the sky._

* * *

" _Peter, he's welcoming you into the Avengers, officially," Erina shared once they were outside the press room. "It's what you've wanted all along." Hap followed them in._

 _Peter smiled, though his face gave away his underlying worries, but he stayed quiet until Tony and Pepper walked into the room. Pepper made sure to give Tony a hug in front of Erina because they were putting on a united front for the press, even though he was with her. She frowned but pushed it aside to be in the moment for Peter._

" _I'm going to warm them up," Pepper announced, leaving the room for a moment while Tony laid out the plan for Peter._

" _Kid, we have a new suit for you, and you're going to be an Avenger," he explained, "How does that sound? We're going to announce you to the press as the newest member of the team wearing the new suit, to protect your identity."_

 _Peter looked at Erina and then Tony, before going back and forth a few more times, "Thank you, Mr. Stark but I think I have more learning to do before I can be on the team. I appreciate it, but I'm gonna pass."_

" _I'm proud of you," Erina stated, "It takes a lot to go with the big picture when you're offered all the bells and whistles. You can still be a junior member and join the fight when you want to," she offered, giving him a hug._

 _Tony wasn't as convinced, as he spoke once more, "What if I show you the suit? Would that sway your choice?" he earned a slap from Erina for his continued attack. "No, that's smart kid. Good luck and I'll be in touch."_

 _Peter smiled as he turned to leave just as Pepper re emerged from the room, "They're ready," she began but noticed Peter was gone, "Did you let him leave?"_

" _He made a very mature decision and you should be proud of him," Tony replied, "He's certainly much better then I ever was."_

" _That's great, but I have a room full of reporters waiting on a big announcement and now I have nothing to tell them," Pepper stated, her face wrinkled in frustration._

 _Hap spoke, "What about the ring?" he asked, not even aware of the looks exchanged between Erina and Tony._

" _An engagement?" Pepper asked in surprise, "We aren't even really together. We can do better," she began but then stopped when she saw the sinking expression on Erina's face. "You know what, it'll sell. Meet me out there in five, on one knee," she instructed as she gave Erina a confident smile before leaving once more._

" _Hap, give me the ring and then give us some space, please," Tony requested, his tone annoyed as he realized what happened._

 _Hap threw him the ring and then made his way to Erina, placing his hands on her upper arms, but she withdrew instantly, "E, this isn't real. We'll still be us," he tried to frame it in the best light, though he felt the same things she did._

" _What about after the fake/real wedding? Am I just the other woman after that?" she asked, holding her emotions inside though she wanted to scream. Things had been going so well for them, and now…_

" _No, we'll figure this out," he insisted, "I won't go through with a fake wedding. Once the excitement wears down, we'll announce a split and keep it that way like we should have from the beginning," he explained, his eyes looking into hers tenderly, pleading for her to allow him to touch her, comfort her in any way._

 _Erina shook her head, "Does she know that? I can't do this anymore. Keeping your relationship 'real' for the headlines was one thing when you were never actually around her, but this is too much," she stated, her heart shattering in her chest before dropping down into the pit of her stomach. "I have to leave. Please consider this my resignation," she said before turning to leave the building, in search of a way to fill the void he just plowed in her heart._


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: The rest of the story contains spoilers for 'Avengers: Infinity War'

Erina took her life away from mimicking powers and found herself an ally in Dr. Strange. He'd begun training her in his art, allowing her to have a skill that was her own. She couldn't mimic his skills which made each new thing learned, a skill all her own.

After a month of training, Dr. Strange looked at her, "What caused you to come to me for this training?"

"I was done using other people's abilities to fight my battles and I had my heart broken, which meant I was an empty canvas. Your world seemed like the best way to fill the void and become my own person," she confessed.

"That makes sense as to why you were able to learn the skill so quickly. Your mind was already empty which is usually the most challenging part," he explained.

Before either could continue their discussion, something came crashing through the roof. Strange and Erina looked down and saw Bruce Banner.

"Bruce," Erina said, surprised, "Where have you been?"

"It's a long story," he replied as he got up, "Thanos is coming. We need to get Tony and then get the Avengers together," he rushed.

Erina felt her heart sink at the mention of his name, but if the world was going to end then, she would have to put her hurt feelings aside. "Go get him, Doctor."

Strange nodded before opening a portal and disappearing. "That's a cool trick, can he teach me that?" Bruce asked.

Erina shook her head, "I just learned and I don't think your mind would be empty enough with all the sharing it already has to do," she teased just as Strange returned with Tony.

Tony looked around and saw Bruce first, "You're back. It's been a long time," he greeted his friend who ran up and wrapped Tony in a bear hug. Once Bruce released Tony, he saw Erina, "Is this where you've been?" he asked.

"Tony Stark broke your heart?" Strange asked catching a glare from her.

"Yes, this is where I've been. How's the wedding planning going?" she asked spitefully, unable to fully put her feelings aside.

His expression changed to a more tender one as he approached her, but she backed away. "E, if you'd just give me a minute, I could make you feel better and we could go back to being happy."

"That doesn't matter right now," she replied, "Bruce, tell him."

Bruce welcomed the change of subject as he explained what happened with Thanos and how he was coming to get the two stones on Earth.

"That sounds really bad. How much time do we have?" Tony replied.

Bruce shrugged just as they heard screams from outside the building. When the team went outside to investigate, they met the sight of a large, circular ship taking up residence in the middle of NYC.

"Looks like the time is now," Erina stated, moving off Strange's front steps to head for the action, "I may have to rely on some of my own party tricks for this, Strange."

"Whatever must be done to save the time stone," he replied.

Tony moved to Erina's side, "We're fighting side by side, as we're meant to."

"Are you really going to make me talk about 'us' when an alien ship is in the city?" she asked, exacerbated, "Fine, Tony. Does Pepper still think the engagement is a sham for publicity? Do you really want to marry her? She'll never stop trying to take Iron Man away from you because she doesn't love the real you, but if that's what you want out of life instead of the simply joy we had, then that's up to you. If you're happy, then nothing else matters," she burst, all her emotions splitting her at the seams, but Tony didn't get a chance to say anything because they were not alone.

* * *

The aliens had the upper hand in the battle. Spiderman joined the fight but they were trying to keep Bruce, who couldn't Hulk out, and Strange safe. Erina saw one of the two intruders taking Strange back to the ship and she jumped, clinging to his cloak, being taken into the ship as well.

Spiderman leaped for the ship to stop them from taking Erina and Strange, but he was only able to attach to the outside. "Mr. Stark, they have the wizard and Ms. Jackson," Peter said into his comm.

Tony didn't hesitate as he flew for the sky, unwilling to lose Erina forever. As he reached the ship, Peter was losing oxygen but Tony gave him his new suit, that he'd attempted to share a month prior to save him. Tony's next task was to get inside the ship, and as he did, his phone rang. It was Pepper, he answered but didn't say anything.

"Are you on that ship?" her voice came through shrill.

"Yes, they took Erina," he replied as if nothing else needed to be said.

"Get out of there right now," she demanded, "You can't save the world anymore and she isn't worth your life. Do you hear me, Tony?"

"Loud and clear, but that's where you're wrong," he replied, "She loves me as Iron Man and Tony Stark. I'm sorry to do this over the phone, but our engagement is over and so are we," he stated as he ended the call without a second thought to begin his search for Erina.


	14. Chapter 14

Erina found herself tied up looking at Dr. Strange with needles floating all around him. "Oh, you're awake," the being said as he noticed her eyes open, "Just in time to watch me torture your friend, here."

"He won't give you what you want," she spat, her own anger at so many things driving her adrenaline and voiding out the fear she should feel.

The being wasn't interested enough in her to kill her or pay her attention, "Perhaps if my plan doesn't work then I will test them on you and see how that makes him feel." He turned away from her and began the procedure of driving the needles into Strange's face first. Erina found herself closing her eyes, unable to look. She wanted to use a power to get loose but her emotions were too overloaded and she couldn't focus.

As Strange began to yell out in pain, Spiderman came from nowhere, using his web to throw the alien across the hull of the ship where Tony was ready with an opening sucking the threat into deep space. Strange began to fly toward the exit while Tony was fixing it but Peter got him while Erina was unaffected because of her tight constraints.

Once the ship was repaired completely, Tony removed his suit and raced to Erina to free her from her prison. He knew her well enough to know how being powerless and unable to help made her feel.

"Are you alright?" he asked, unable to suppress a smile as she wrapped her arms around his neck, burying her face in his shoulder.

When she finally pulled away, he got a glimpse of the fear in her eyes, "I'm ok. What are we going to do now? And, why did you come? This is a suicide mission," she felt many things all at once as she blurted them all out, causing Tony to grin. "Why are you smiling?"

"I missed this," he replied, "And, I came because I wasn't going to lose you. It's simple," he moved on to one of her other points, letting his words sink in, "What's next? I think we go where this ship wants us to go. Let's take the fight to Thanos, this gives us the element of surprise," he stated, looking back from the view of the stars to the group standing before him.

"You want to hand him the stone?" Strange asked, his expression conveying his shock.

Peter took the moment to introduce himself, "Hi, I'm Peter Parker," he offered his hand. Strange took it, without paying much attention, due to the circumstances, "Dr. Strange," he said, simply.

Peter looked taken aback, "We're sharing fake names? Then, I'm Spiderman."

Tony interjected to get the team back on task, "It sounds insane, but it's the only thing that he won't be expecting. We won't let him get your stone," he reassured Strange.

Strange nodded, "If it comes down to any of your lives or this stone, I will choose the stone," he agreed with his blunt statement.

Tony nodded while Erina replied, "We wouldn't expect anything else. None of us are worth the lives of half of the universe," she understood his reasoning, before she sat down on the floor, to gather herself and rest for what would come next.

Thankfully, because Strange and Peter were there, Tony didn't take this opportunity to discuss their future.

* * *

After they landed, crashed, onto the planet, Erina met another group as they nearly killed each other, as she, Strange, Tony, and Peter went defensive instantly.

"Do you guys work with Thanos?" the man asked, taking off his mask.

"Work for Thanos?" Tony replied, disgusted, "We're trying to stop him."

The stranger nodded, "Us too, I'm Starlord, this is Drax, and that's Mantis," he introduced his team, "Some of us are out looking for a weapon with some guy named Thor."

"You know Thor?" Erina asked, intrigued.

Starlord nodded, "Yeah, not great looking but thinks he's a god. He's ok."

"I'm Erina, that's Tony Stark 'Iron Man', Dr. Strange, and Peter Parker 'Spiderman'," she introduced her players. "We should make a plan for Thanos because he will be here sooner rather then later," she directed the subject.

Starlord spoke without waiting for anyone to open their mouths, "Yes, I am all over that, and if we use a plan I come up with, it'll be great," he began before explaining his idea.

After they broke down his idea, everyone dispersed to their designated places, Tony and Erina placed together, to her dismay.

Once they were settled, he looked at her, "Can we talk now?"

"Shouldn't we, maybe, stop the bad guy first?" she answered with a feigned flippant tone.

Tony frowned, "E, I wasn't going to end our relationship, just pause it long enough to get the press off my back. I'm sorry I used you to my benefit and I never should have expected you to be alright with it or, worse, content to wait on the sidelines until I was ready, as if you were a toy," he explained.

Erina took a deep breath, "That was a very good apology and I wasn't ready for it, but I really can't talk about any of this until we handle the problem at hand. Do you get that? I still love you, if that's what you're really hoping to learn, but you hurt me this time, in a real way. I can't just blink and pretend it didn't happen because, now, in the back of my mind, I'm always going to wonder when it will happen again, if I come back," she admitted, seeing no reason to sugar coat her fears, especially since Thanos may kill her before she can decide.

Tony nodded, "I get your reservations and I can wait until we get out of to talk more. I am so sorry," he admitted once again, the depth of his regret evident in his voice.

Erina stayed silent as they awaited Thanos' arrival.

* * *

After the battle….

"We're alone," Erina said, her voice cracking after she witnessed people turning to dust right before her eyes, after their failed attempt to stop Thanos. "Where did they all go? Are they dead?"

Tony was shaken, but he put it aside for a moment and pulled her into his arms, "I don't know, but we're still here and we have to find a way to fix this, at least get off this planet," he admitted, trying his usual one liners but knowing they fell flat in this scenario.

He helped her to the ground, still wrapped tightly around her, comforting her in the only way he knew how. She didn't speak as she sat in his arms, wondering how they'd all let things get this bad.

"E," he began, pulling away just enough to see her eyes, "It's important for me to tell you what I've been trying to say since I saw you earlier. Especially after everything we just witnessed. I know it's not appropriate after the loss of our friends, but I didn't lose you and I need you to understand why I'm so grateful for that…" he let his words linger, waiting on her to allow him to proceed, not wanting to force anything else on her.

She nodded, "Go ahead, you're right. If we learned anything just now, it's not to hold things back because you may never get the chance…" she faded too, but hers was because of the tears threatening to surface once more.

"Sh," he soothed, wiping a tear from her eye, "I was never going to marry Pepper," he began. "I was wrong to expect either of you to be alright with the arrangement, and I ended things with Pepper after you were taken. She called to make sure I didn't get involved, but you know me, and that's just not an option," he admitted.

He watched her take a deep breath at his news before he continued, "My heart has always been yours, there have just been times I was too ignorant to see it. I had a dream last night that I was going to be a father, and it felt so real that I was sure it was true when I woke up. I worried that Pepper was pregnant so I shared my dream and she quickly shot it down, quoting my desire to be Iron Man as a conflict with wanting children. What I didn't share with her was that the woman in my dream was not Pepper, but you," he confessed, stopping to gather a reaction from her.

Erina stared into his eyes, wishing she could tell him off for what he's done, but she knew she felt the same way he did, and she was miserable when she wasn't by his side. "I never stopped being yours, Tony, and I'll be with you again," she paused, "but, please, don't do anything like that again. I can't handle anymore," she confessed.

He smiled, guilty because of what was going on but unable to hide it because the last month had been too hard to bear, as he leaned down and placed his lips to hers taking in every piece of her in one kiss. When he released her, he looked down at her stomach and back at into her eyes, "Are you pregnant? My dream really felt like it was happening," he admitted, also unable to hide the joy he felt at the prospect.

Erina shook her head, a small grin creeping across her lips, "Not that I know of, but anything's possible," she confessed, "Now, let's find a way off this planet so we can figure out how to save our friends. We're better together, stronger, so this should be a piece of cake now," she added optimistically.

Tony nodded in agreement, standing and helping her up along with him, "I guess we should start with the ship we came on and go from there," he began walking toward it but stopped and grabbed her hand, looking into her eyes, "I love you, E. Thank you for giving me more chances then I deserve and know that I want nothing more then to be with you, start a family and live our lives," he professed, his voice more tender with each word.

"I love you too," she replied, "And, I will give you all those things once we get out of this mess. Sharing a life with you is all I've ever wanted," she confessed causing another truly genuine smile to reach his lips.

He grasped her hand in his and they began the work in hopes that it would allow them to return home and fix what Thanos had done.

Then End - For Now


End file.
